Wow Your Holiday Guests With Peppermint Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

on Nov 30, 2014 |

Hello Holidays! It is time for all things red, green, and peppermint! Tired of the same old red velvet cupcakes making an appearance on your Christmas dessert table? Well I’ve got something for you, whoopie pies. The name just makes me smile. Explaining what these were to my little ladies without them having a picture to look at was quite comical…A cake that is like a sandwich?

Now, this recipe is a twisted version of my incredibly moist and classic red velvet cake batter. It is a labor of love when it comes to making the batter, frosting, and then assembling. But, I promise you they are worth every step. I will also be posting some “semi-homemade” whoopie pie recipes within the next week, for those of you who have a bunch of cake mix in the pantry and not too sure what to do with all of it.

My Peppermint Red Velvet Whoopie Pies can be made without peppermint if you are not a big fan. Just eliminate all of the peppermint baking chips throughout the recipe. You can supplement the pretty garnishes with some mini semi-sweet chocolate chips for that added pizzazz.

Just remember, if I can bake with these little munchkins in my mixing bowl and still manage to get a pretty looking dessert, you can definitely do it! Bake it with love and you will be happy with the outcome.

I believe there will be a swarm of Whoopie Pies for my holiday baking lists and gifts this year. So cute, so portable, and so easy to eat. Let’s not even get into how many I have already consumed 🙁

Let’s start baking…

Peppermint Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

Yields: 18-3″ whoopie pies

For The Cake Part

Ingredients:

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, must be room temperature

1 tsp vinegar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup liquid red food color

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk, must be room temperature

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups of peppermint baking chips (found in the baking isle)

Plus one full bag of peppermint baking chips for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Be sure that it is flat so the whoopie pie cakes don’t end up in a weird shape when baked.

2. In a sifter over a dry ingredient bowl, sift flour, soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In an electric mixer, combine sugar and vegetable oil. Add in room temperature eggs and it will become thick and pale yellow. If your eggs are cold it will take a long time for it to come together.

4. Add in cocoa powder then red food coloring and vanilla extract.

5. Stir in vinegar. Then add in half of the sifted dry ingredients on the lowest setting.

6. When flour is almost fully combined, add in buttermilk and then the remaining dry ingredients. Just as soon as it appears to be mostly incorporated, stir in peppermint baking chips by hand.

8. Bake 4-5 minutes until done and tops are domed and spring back. A cookie like appearance is what you are looking for.

9. Allow to cool about 3 minutes on the pan. Then carefully lift up parchment paper and place on a cooling rack to further cool for assembly.

10. For easier assembly I would plan on allowing these little cakes to sit out 1-2 hours. You don’t want finger prints all over the tops of the cakes. Just try to resist not eating every single one.

For The Cream Cheese Filling

Ingredients:

1 cup salted butter, softened

1 cup cream cheese, softened (8 oz block)

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 tbsp of imitation clear vanilla extract ( I like McCormicks)

6 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, on high combine butter, cream cheese, and vegetable shortening until smooth and creamy.

2. Add in clear vanilla.

3. Slowly stir in one cup at a time of powdered sugar. After all sugar was slowly mixed in, I like to whip it on medium-high about 2 minutes until airy and fluffy.

4. Place in piping bag for filling whoopie pies.

Assembly:

1. Take one cake and flip it so the flat side is facing you. Now take your piping bag fill of cream cheese frosting and starting on the outside, leave about 1/4 of an inch edge. Pipe an outside circle first and then work towards the inside. I like height on my whoopie pies, so I went ahead and piped again on top of my first circle layer of frosting.

2. Place another piece of whoopie pie-flat side down-into the frosting, making a sandwich. Gently smash it.

3. Pour some of the peppermint baking chips onto a plate. Roll the whoopie pie so the filling will pick up the peppermint chips. If you don’t pick up a bunch on your filling, just sprinkle them by hand.

4. Continue this process until all of your whoopie pies are complete. These can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days.